That’s what they called what we know of as Halloween back in the early days of Christianity.
Truth be told it goes back even further than that. The Halloween observance originated with the Celtic Druids around 700 B.C. The Druids believed that the souls of the dead returned to inhabit the bodies of the living on October 31st. Villagers donned masks and costumes and paraded to the outskirts of their towns to trick roving spirits into leaving.
Later, October 31st was incorporated into the Christian calendar as All Hallow’s Eve, honoring all martyrs and saints. Children wearing costumes offered to fast for departed souls in exchange for money or an offering.
Irish Catholics fleeing from the potato famine in the 1840s introduced the Halloween observance to the United States, including the practice of carving jack-o’lanterns. At that time, the favorite pranks included tipping over outhouses while someone was in it! And unhinging fence gates.
Nowadays trick or treat has taken on a sinister, darker aspect. Razor blades in apples and arsenic in candy has pretty much called a halt to door to door begging for candy. But not so the tricks. Oh there is the usual amount of toilet paper in trees and eggs and shaving cream are hot sellers around the end of October.
But nothing can compare with the profound stupidity of a Long Island teenager who thought it would be hilarious to toss a twenty pound frozen turkey out of a moving car. The idiot 18 year old heaved the bird out of the window where it crashed into the windshield of a 45 year old, smashing her face and even bending the steering wheel. The unfortunate victim underwent a 10 hour surgery and will need several months to fully recover.
The dumb kid is out on 250,000 dollars bail. It’s expected he will plead guilty to get a reduced sentence.
It’s only a few days till witches and goblins and dumbass teenagers with turkeys roam the streets.
You’d better get ready.
